


Willow Tree

by MaybeItWasMemphis



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Zombie Apocalypse, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, May/December Relationship, Older Man/Younger Woman, Romance, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-14
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-25 16:28:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 6,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22259251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaybeItWasMemphis/pseuds/MaybeItWasMemphis
Summary: I decided that I wanted to write a story where Merle Dixon is just a lovable, gruff redneck and there was no zombie apocalypse. This is that story.
Relationships: Merle Dixon/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 51





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own it. I'm not even completely caught up yet. BTW, I found out about Carl's death by watching 'Jay and Silent-Bob: Rebooted'. Fuck you very much, Kevin Smith.

“ _Read about you in a Faulkner novel, met you once in a Williams play. Heard about you in a country love song, summer night beauty take my breath away.”_

**_\- Pam Tillis, Maybe It Was Memphis_ **

The old chevy impala spluttered to a stop on the side of a deserted farm road and fifty miles outside of Atlanta, Georgia. Now, when I chevy impala, I don't mean some _Supernatural_ looking old-school muscle car. I mean a piece of junk mid-90's impala from when they started looking like old people cars. Vada's 1996 model actually looked like it had seen an apocalypse.

“Damn it!” Vada smacked her steering wheel. She reached over and grabbed her purse off the passenger seat, and dug out her cell phone. “No signal? Are you freakin' kidding me!”

Vada Jones was a twenty-nine-year-old elementary school teacher from Sleepy Hollow, New York. She was moving to Georgia to accept a teaching position in the small town of Willow Tree. She had needed to get away from the cold New York winters for the sake of her health.

So, to recap. Vada was in an unfamiliar place, her cell phone had absolutely no signal, and it was after midnight, and there were no street lights. This was what it meant to be up a creek without a damn paddle.

A knock on her window had her screaming like Jamie Lee Curtis in _Halloween_. 

“Ya alright in there, darlin'?” A deep, raspy voice called from outside. 

“The engine gave out,” Vada called once she had remembered how to breathe. She wasn't sure if she should roll down the window or not. Wasn't this how the Zodiac Killer once tried to kill someone?

“Sugar, ya gonna have to roll down that window if we gonna talk,” the man called back.

Vada reached over and grabbed the pocket knife that she kept for protection out of the center console and opened it, laying it next to her thigh on the seat. Only then did she roll down her window and even then only part of the way. “Sorry,” she smiled nervously. “I'm pretty sure the engine just...died completely.” She'd only been driving around with the 'Check Engine' light on for the last three years. That was her biggest clue.

“I'm a mechanic. I could prolly help ya out. Name's Merle Dixon.” He was leaning over sightly, and Vada could see that he was an older man and fairly tall.

“Vada Jones,” she offered back, and it was then that she realized...the only headlights she saw were her own. “I'm not sure how much help you can be. Unless you happen just to have a spare engine lying around.”

“Nah,” Merle laughed. “Prolly find ya one, though. Right now, I'm more worried 'bout getting' ya off this here road. Round one or two, some dumbass kids start racin' up and down here. Ya can't see it, but I's got me a house over there.” He pointed to the left side of the road. He was right. Vada couldn't see it. “I can go grab my rig, tow ya back to my yard, and ya can call whoever ya need ta call. Cell phones don't work for shit out here.”

To go or not to go with gruff redneck, that was the question. She was out in the middle of nowhere without a working phone. Did she really have much of a choice?


	2. Chapter 2

Vada finally got a look at Merle's house when he started up his tow truck, and the headlights illuminated it. It was a small white ramshackle house that was pretty typical of the deep south.

It took Merle all of twenty-five minutes to get her car hooked up to his rig and towed back to his yard. From there, he led Vada inside and into the house's tiny kitchen. The room definitely suffered from a lack of a feminine touch. There was a small card table in the center of the room that was accompanied by two folding metal chairs, and that was it except for a stove, microwave, coffee pot, and older than hell refrigerator that looked like he had purchased it from Lucy and Ricky. There were no personal touches, no photos on the fridge, artwork on the walls, or even curtains on the small window. There was no doubt that Merle was single.

“You can call who you need to call from here.” Merle nodded at the corded wall phone that was reminiscent of the one that had hung in her childhood home. Vada had thought the devices to be damn near extinct.

“You know of any motels nearby?” Vada asked the question before realizing she needed one critical piece of information. “Where exactly in Georgia am I right now? I should probably start with that question.”

Merle chuckled. “I knew ya wasn't from 'round here. Well, darlin', the five-mile stretch of land ya on is an unincorporated lil community. That's why asshole kids race that there stretch of road. Cops only come when called. If ya go up that some road a lil ways ya come ta the town of Willow Tree. I think the motel may still be open. The recession hit that town hard.”

“Are you kidding me?” Vada blurted out.

“I don't know what I'd be kiddin' 'bout darlin',” Merle looked confused.

Vada chuckled tiredly. “Not you. I guess I meant the universe. I'm moving to Willow Tree, and my damn car bites the dust when I'm almost there. It's just my luck.”

Merle nodded. “I get it, darlin'. What I's don't get is why anyone would wanna move ta a dyin' town like Willow Tree.” He grabbed one of the metal folding chairs and pulled it out from the table and nodded for her to take a seat. He walked to the fridge and pulled out two beers, setting one in front of her before taking a seat in the chair across from her.

“I was offered a teaching position at Willow Tree Elementary School, and I really needed out of New York. I have something called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. It's a disorder that causes sensitive, elastic-like skin and overly flexible joints. The winters were becoming hell for me. My joints would lock up, and my skin would actually hurt to the touch.”

“Damn, woman,” Merle whistled. “Sorry ta hear that. Ya don't gotta worry 'bout bad winters down here. Rarely snows and it don't stay cold long...if ya consider forty-five degrees cold. Where in New York ya from, the Big Apple?”

“Oh, God, no,” Vada laughed. “I can't stand big cities.”

Merle reached across the table, grabbed the beer bottle, and popped the top on it before passing it back. “Me and ya got that in common, sugar. I try ta avoid going through Atlanta whenever I's can. Where are ya from than?”

“You've probably heard of it before. I'm from a small upstate hamlet called Sleepy Hollow.” Washington Irving had made the town famous way back in the 19th century. If a person hadn't read the original story, they usually had at least seen a film or television adaption.

“Ichabod Crane goes lookin' for the Headless Horseman there.” The teacher in her wanted to award him points for knowing the name of a character from the story who wasn't missing his head. “And if ya like small-town livin' ya will like Willow Tree well enough,” he assured her. “My lil brother, Daryl, lives there with his family. His lil girl, Sophia, goes ta the school you's gonna be teachin' at. Listen, darlin', it's real late. Even if the motel's still in operation ain't no one gonna be at the desk this time of the night. You can rest ya pretty head in the spare room tonight. I'll drive ya into town in the mornin' and see what I's can do 'bout ya car.”

Most people would have turned down his offer one the ground of safety concerns. Still, Vada didn't feel threatened by Merle in the least, and she had always considered herself abnormally cautious, not mention a good judge of character. She agreed.


	3. Chapter 3

After a night spent in an old daybed that was probably older than she was, Merle had kept his word. He drove her to Willow Tree just in time for Vada to meet her new landlady and the moving truck carrying her belongings at the small two-bedroom ranch-style she had rented for herself. She’d been amazed by how cheap southern living was. For a mere $600 a month, she had been able to rent a home that in Sleepy Hollow went for about $1500.

“Ya gonna be okay, darlin’?” Merle asked after helping her carry her bags inside.

“I should be,” Vada nodded and smiled. She’d grown rather fond of the in handsome-in-his-own-way redneck. “Thanks for everything, Merle. You really saved my ass last night.”

“Ain’t no problem, sugar,” Merle waved off her thanks. “I’s gonna head back over ta my place ta see what can be done ‘bout your car.”

“Merle,” Vada laughed. “The car’s a piece of junk. I don’t want you wasting your time on a hopeless case.”

“Ain’t hopeless if it means I’s get an excuse ta see your pretty face again,” he winked at her.

It was the first pass that he had made at her since they had met, and Vada found herself glad that he’d done it. “You know,” she gave him what she hoped passed for a flirty look. “You don’t need an excuse to visit me.”

Merle looked taken aback for a moment. “Is that so?” He raised an eyebrow at her. “I’ll remember that, darlin’.”

***

Vada had been right. Her car was a complete loss. According to Merle, it would take more money to replace her engine than her car was worth. With her permission, Merle had sold the car to a local salvage yard for $350 that went straight into her new car fund. She had used up all of her savings moving to Willow Tree, so it would be a good few months before she could afford a new (used) car. Her favorite redneck came to her rescue. Merle seemed to have no problem driving Vada everywhere that she needed to go, including back and forth to work every day once the school year started. In fact, it seemed like if she wasn’t working, she was spending time with Merle. She knew that she more than liked him, but that’s all she knew. She had no idea how to move forward with a man like Merle, or even if she should. He hadn’t made a pass at her since the day she had moved into her place.

“What are you up to tonight, brat?” Vada was on the phone with her older sister, Ivy, as she finally got around to unpacking her rather extensive book collection.

“Finishing up the last of my unpacking.” She made it sound as though she was almost done even though the spare bedroom that intended to use as an office was nothing but a desk and a pile of books. Ivy was seriously type-A and would lecture her about procrastinating.

“And here I thought you’d be hanging around with that redneck of yours,” Ivy teased.

“Don’t call me a redneck,” Vada snapped. Only she was allowed to do that, and she meant it in the best possible Brantley Gilbert-like way.

“Okay, sorry,” Ivy laughed. “I’m only messing around. It just seems like you spend all of your time with that man.”

“I do not,” Vada protested. She wasn’t going to give her sister the pleasure of knowing that she was expecting Merle any minute. He was bringing pizza and beer, and after they ate, he was going to assemble her bookshelves.

“Who else are you friends with down there in the sticks?”

There was Carol, the wife of Merle’s little brother, Daryl. Then there was Maggie. She was the daughter of the town’s only vet…and Vada only knew her because she had gone with Merle when he’d taken his pet snake, Reaper, in for a check-up. Everyone she knew or was friends with was connected to Merle somehow. It didn’t bother Vada at all, but she wasn’t about to admit it to her uptight sibling. “Lots of people.” She headlights briefly shine in through the picture window as Merle’s pickup truck pulled into the driveway. “Hey, Ivy, the pizza guy’s here. I’ve got to run.”

“Sure, the pizza guy. Tell Merle I said ‘hi.’” Ivy was laughing as Vada hung up the phone.


	4. Chapter 4

Merle didn’t ring the doorbell or even knock. He simply walked in the front door like he lived there, shooting her a disapproving look for leaving it unlocked like always did. He carried the pizza and a six-pack into the kitchen and laid them both on the counter. They didn’t say a word to one another as Vada retrieved two plates from the cupboard, and Merle grabbed the bottle opener magnet off the fridge door. It was as she grabbed a beer stein out of the freezer because she knew that Merle preferred his beer served in a chilled glass that Vada realized how insane it all was. “Merle, what the hell are we doing?”

“What do ya mean, darlin’?” Merle looked confused.

“We act like a couple,” Vada laughed. “You drive me to and from work every day. We spend all of our free time together. This is the second dinner we’ve shared this week, and it’s only Monday. Shit, Merle, I even went with you to your niece’s birthday party last Saturday. We’re a couple…without the fringe benefits.” Vada wasn’t a stranger to dating, but this was the first time that she’d ever accidentally fallen into a relationship, not to mention in love, without even consciously realizing it was happening.

“Took ya long enough, woman.” Merle smirked and took a long swallow from his beer bottle.

“What are you talking about?” Vada put her hands on her hips and glared at him. He was treating all of this like it was one big joke.

“Don’t go getting’ all bent outta shape.” Merle rolled his eyes and walked around the kitchen counter to stand in front of her. “All I’s meant was that it took ya long enough to realize yer mine.”

“Yo…yours?” Vada damn near choked on her own tongue.

Merle reached up and brushed some of her hair behind her ear. “Yep, sugar, mine. My woman. I didn’t wanna scare ya off, so I let ya figure it out on yer own. You’s a smart girl, knew ya’d get there eventually.”

Vada’s head was spinning as she tried to process what Merle was saying. “This,” she gestured between them, “is okay with you?”

“More than okay, darlin’,” He cupped her cheek in his hand and gently pulled her mouth to his for a soft and surprisingly tender kiss. “Is this okay with ya, baby?” He asked when they parted.

‘Baby,’ that was a new pet name. she was used to ‘darlin’ and ‘sugar’ and when he was irritated with her, ‘woman.’ Vada decided that she rather liked the sound of ‘baby.’ “Yeah,” she smiled and turned her head, laying a kiss on the palm of his hand, “it’s definitely okay with me too.”

“Good,” he gave her a quick kiss, a mere peck on the lips, before pulling away from her. “Now come on, the pie’s getting’ cold and I wanna get them shelves together before I head out.”

Vada didn’t like the sound of that plan, mostly because it ended with Merle leaving. “Counteroffer. We eat dinner and forget about the shelves for the night.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and was more than pleased when his hands came up to rest on her hips. “We find some trashy movie on TV, and you come to bed with me. What do you think?” Nervous that he’d reject her, Vada was acting way more confident than she felt and praying that he wouldn’t see through her.

Merle chuckled and pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her waist. He leaned down so he could whisper in her ear. “I like the way ya think, baby.” He kissed the shell of her ear.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I was like 6 or 7 when ‘Tommy Boy’ was released, so it’s pretty safe to say that I do not own it. This disclaimer will make sense in a minute, I promise.

_“I can get a good look at a T-bone by sticking my head up a bull’s ass, but I’d rather take the butcher’s word for it.”_

Trying not to gag, Vada leaned forward and set her plate and half-eaten final piece of pizza on the coffee table. “And with that lovely mental image, I’m done eating…possibly forever.

Merle just laughed before washing down his last bite of pizza with his beer. Setting his mug on the coffee table, he lightly tugged on her arm. “Get over here, woman.”

Vada went into his arms willingly and snuggled into his chest. She tried to fight it, but as soon as she was comfortable in his arms, she let out a loud yawn.

“Ya sound tired, baby.” Merle absentmindedly began stroking her back through her t-shirt.

“I am,” Vada admitted. “My class had their field trip to the Atlanta Zoo today. Twenty-six kids and a bunch of cool animals make for a busy day. They were all supposed to pick five animals and take notes about their habitats and diets, but I’m damn near positive that half of them didn’t do it.” She’d see tomorrow when they handed in their science journals.

“Why don’t we’s get ya ta bed, baby.” Merle lightly tapped her ass. “Ya need some sleep. We’s can bump uglies another night.”

Vada snorted. Leave it to Merle to be so poetic. “You’re not leaving, are you?”

“Shit no,” Merle kissed her forehead. “Even if it’s just sleepin’, I’ll take cozyin’ up ta yer sweet ass over my cold bed any day.”

If you spoke Merle, he was actually being very sweet, if not vulgar. “Good,” she leaned up and kissed him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One last microchapter before we get to the long, chapter from hell (for me to write).

Vada’s alarm clock started going off, as it always did on school days, at 5:30 in the morning. Groaning, she slapped a hand down on the annoying device to silence it. Feeling Merle’s hard warm body spooning up to her back, she really wasn’t in any hurry to get up. Putting one hand on top of hers on her stomach, she wiggled and cuddled in closer to him.

“Ya don’t wanna do that, woman,” Merle spoke into the skin of her neck.

“Why’s that, Merle?” Her voice was dripping with innocence but the way she backed her ass up to his morning erection was not. “Is something wrong, baby?”

Merle chuckled huskily. “Yeah, my woman’s a God damned tease.” He kissed her neck, rubbing his stubble along skin. “Keep it up an’ teacher’s gonna be tardy.” He thrust his hips sharply into her ass, his hard-on rubbing along the crack of her ass.

Vada moaned. “Make you a deal. We hit the breaks now and get back to this after I get off?”

“I’ll take it…an’ a cold fuckin’ shower,” he laughed as he pulled away from her.


	7. Chapter 7

It seemed like fate was working against them. Instead of getting off on time, Vada found herself in charge of after school detention. She had just hung up with Merle after delivering the bad news when he charges slowly started to trickle into the library with their pink slips. She was shocked when her first two charges turned out to be Merle’s ten-year-old niece, Sophia, and the sheriff’s son, Carl Grimes. Carl was in her class and Vada knew that she hadn’t issued his pink slip, so he must have gotten in trouble while in the school gym, waiting to board the school bus. Both were normally well-behaved students.

“What on earth are you two doing here?” She took their slips but waited for their answers before reading them.

“We got in a fight in the gym,” Carl answered for both of them.

Genuinely stunned, she read their slips. Yep. Sure enough Carl had been sent to her for calling Sophia a geek and tripping her. Sophia had retaliated by hitting him in the face with a basketball.

“What has gotten into the two of you?” Vada demanded in her best authoritative ‘teacher’ voice.

Carl shrugged and Sophia mumbled that she didn’t know.

Vada sighed. “Both of you go and find seats and start on your homework. If you finish before your time in here is up, I expect you to be reading, no talking.”

Only two other students arrived that afternoon. The third-grade brat that had pulled the fire alarm that morning and a fourth grader that had been excessively disrupting her teacher all day.

Once her charges were seated, Vada found an empty reading table where she could catch up on her grading and still keep her eye on the kids. Before getting to work, she sent Merle a text. He really wasn’t one for texting, but she knew he’d make an exception for this one.

_*** Sophia’s one of my prisoners. The sheriff’s kid insulted her, so she hit him in the face with a basketball. ***_

Vada’s phone vibrated with a response ten minutes later.

_*** That’s my girl! ***_

***

Vada finally locked up the library and returned the keys to the office a little after six. When she walked to parking lot, she found Merle leaning against the passenger side door of his tow truck.

“Hey, babe,” Vada greeted him with a hug and a kiss.

“Hey there, sweet cheeks.” Merle’s hand automatically found its way to her ass as he held her clod to him. “How’s your day?”

“Pretty good…until about 10:15 this morning. A mouthy little brat from Beth Green’s class pulled the fire alarm and all my lessons were rushed for the rest of the day to make up for the half hour we spent outside while the fire department searched for an imaginary fire. Finally, just as I was about to leave, Principal Jordan caught up to me and asked that I oversee detention because she had a personal matter to attend to.”

Merle whistled. “It’s a good thing I’s picked up some whiskey with your name on it, darlin’.”

“See, I knew you were perfect for me,” Vada laughed.


	8. Chapter 8

They had barely settled in on Vada’s couch when Merle’s cell phone started ringing. “Give me a minute, darlin’. It’s baby brother callin’.” Merle stepped into the kitchen to answer the phone.

Vada was just about to take a sip from her tumbler of whiskey when her house phone started ringing. She had a bad feeling about this. “Hello?” She answered.

“Hey, Vada, it’s Michonne Grimes, Carl’s stepmom.”

It wasn’t unusual for a parent to call her at home. It was only a little after eight and Vada figured Michonne was calling to discuss Carl’s detention that afternoon. “What can I do for you tonight, Mrs. Grimes?”

“Listen, I’m sorry to bother you at home so late but have you seen Carl? He ran off after his dad had a talk with him about his behavior.”

“No, I’m sorry, but I haven’t seen him he left school.” Vada put her untouched glass of whiskey down on the coffee table. A missing kid was always serious. She got to her feet and started looking for her shoes. “I’ll take a drive around and see if I can find him.”

Merle came back in the room just as Vada disconnected the call and finished tying her sneakers. “Baby, Sophia’s runned off on Daryl and her mama.”

“Sophia too?”

“Whatcha mean too?”

“Oh,” Vada shook her head. “Carl, the boy Sophia had detention with, ran away too. I just got off the phone with her stepmom. I told her that I’d drive around and look for him.

Merle chuckled and rubbed his chin. “I’s bet Romeo’s with Juliet. Come on, sweet cheeks. Let’s go snap Cupid’s arrow. They’s too damn young for this shit.”

They spent over an hour driving all over Willow Tree looked for the two tweens and Merle and Vada were starting to grow more concerned.

“What about the school?” Vada turned in her seat on the passenger side of the tow truck to look at him. “We only really checked the playground. If the janitor’s still there than the front door is unlocked.”

“Baby, ya think two ten-year-olds ran away from home and went ta school?” Merle chuckled but he made a U-turn and headed towards the school.

“Those two, yep,” Vada nodded, “Both of them love being in the library.”

“The definition of fun sure has changed since I’s was a youngin’.” Merle shook his head as he drove.


	9. Chapter 9

In the end, Vada had been proven right. They found Sophia and Carl in the school library. They had set up sleeping bags and an electric camping lantern in the science fiction section.

The kids didn’t see them. They were too lost in their comic books, and Vada and Merle were hidden by a row of shelves at the library’s entrance. “Fuckin’ for real? I’s got blue balls, so these two brats can read comic books bout’ zombies? My daddy woulda tanned my ass for this.”

“Actually, I think those are called graphic novels,” Vada responded dryly. “Let’s leave them to their fun and head back outside. They only have until their folks get here to enjoy themselves.” She wanted to ask about his father and his comment, but she knew that now wasn’t the time for serious conversations like that.

“If I don’t see ya naked soon, my’s balls gonna burst,” Merle grumbled as they headed back outside.

“Thanks for that mental image, babe,” Vada teased with a giggle.

Merle’s reaction was to smack her ass.

***

Life didn’t slow down much throughout the week. Vada rarely made it out of work before six, and Merle’s towing service was experiencing more than usual business now that the local high school was offering driver’s education classes.

Thursday night found the couple falling into bed together at Merle’s place, and once again, they were too tired to do much besides lay there.

“Baby, I’s was thinkin’,” Merle’s hand was lazily stroking her bare thigh. She wore nothing besides one of his white wifebeaters and her panties.

“Uh oh,” she chuckled tiredly.

“Woman, behave yerself,” he lightly tapped her hip. “I’s bein’ serious. You’s got a three day weekend comin’ up. I wanna take ya away on a lil trip.”

Vada sat up so that she was leaning on one arm. “Seriously? Where do you want to go?”

“I’s was thinkin’ we could take a drive up ta Memphis. We could have dinner on one of those riverboats on the muddy Mississippi, maybe visit Graceland, and we out whistles down on Beale Street.” He reached up and gently stroked her jaw.

Vada smiled. Merle was nothing if not a homebody. His favorite places to be were her house and his place. And as much as she knew he liked her place, Merle was happiest when on his own land. He’d spent twenty years working his ass off for his thirty acres and the small white house that sat on those acres. He was offering this trip to make her happy because he cared about her. “I’d love that, babe.”

“All’s settled then.” Merle pulled her back down to lay in his arms. “I’ll pick ya up after work tomorrow and well get on the road. We’ll make Memphis before mornin’.”


	10. Chapter 10

True to his word, Merle’s pickup truck delivered the couple to Memphis at a little after sic in the morning. They were staying in a weekend rental apartment which was a good thing. The couple was exhausted, and most motels and hotels didn’t allow check-in before noon at the earliest.

The apartment was a standard, furnished by IKEA rental. Vada couldn’t be bothered to sneer at the ‘modern’ décor. She was far too tired. Her and Merle couldn’t only be bothered to strip down to their underclothes before falling into bed.

“Ya know, baby,” Merle was playing the big spoon to her little and spoke into the skin of her neck. “I ain’t ever loved a woman this much that I’d wasn’t knockin’ boots with. Shit, I ain’t ever loved a woman this much period.”

Vada went completely rigid in his arms before turning so that she was laying on her back, looking up at him. “Do you really mean that?” She held her breath as she waited for his answer.

“Woman, ya know damn well I’s don’t say shit that I don’t mean.” He reached down and caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. “I love ya, Vada, baby.”

Vada gave him a watery smile. “I love you too, Merle.”

Merle leaned down and softly and sweetly kissed her on the lips. “An’ just think ‘bout it, darlin’. It wasn’t too long ago that ye needed a knife beside ya just ta feel safe ‘round me.”

Vada couldn’t help but laugh. She had forgotten all about that and she hadn’t even been aware that he knew about her knife being open on the seat beside her the night that they met.

***

That evening, as he had promised, Merle took Vada to dinner on a riverboat on the Mississippi River. While the boat cruised the river, the couple listened to the captain giving the diners an interesting history on the river and, by extension, Memphis, and nearby Arkansas as they enjoyed a meal of fried catfish, hush puppies, and turnip greens. When the desert was served, Vada was shocked to discover a brand-new shinny key sticking out of the whipped cream that topped her peach cobbler.

“Merle, what is this, babe?” Vada looked at her boyfriend in befuddlement.

“I’d say that’s a key to my heart but we’s both know I ain’t that fuckin’ girlie.” Yeah. That was one thing that Merle could never be accused of being. “I’s had a spare key to my place made. Move in with me, baby.”

Oh my, wow. Vada had not been expecting this turn of events at all. She had to take a moment to think about it. She was in love with Merle. And not a lot would really change. They hadn’t spent a night apart since they had gotten together in the first place. They simply went back and forth between their two residences. The only thing that would really change was that Vada would be saving $600 a month by not paying rent on a house that she was only living in part-time. She made up her mind and smiled at the (for once) anxious Merle. “I’d love to. I guess it’s a good thing that I rent month to month.”

Merle flashed her a wide, dimpled smile. “I really do love ya, baby.”

Vada really didn’t doubt that at all.


	11. Chapter 11

After dinner on the riverboat, the happy couple had spent a few house bar hopping on Beale Street before finally taking an uber back to the apartment. Suffice it to say, but both were a little tipsy when they stumbled into the bedroom.

Giggling, Vada fell back to lay against the mattress sideways. Merle quickly fell to cover her body with his. “Ya sure yer up ta this, baby girl?” He nuzzled her nose with his. “Don’t wanna have ya regretting anything now.”

Vada smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck and turned his nuzzling into straight-up nose kisses. “I’m not going to regret it. I’m buzzed. I’m not drunk. Besides, I could never regret being with you, Merle.”

Merle growled low in his throat before taking her lips in a hard, almost punishing kiss. Vada moaned as her boyfriend’s hands, found their way to her modest breasts and roughly squeezed. She’d long suspected that Merle wouldn’t be a gentle, romance-novel style lover, and she was oh-so-pleased to discover that she was right. He wasn’t rough or gentle. He was animalistic and worked off of instinct. They hadn’t made a big production out of disrobing and had hastily discarded their clothing. Based on past (see: horrible) experience, Vada had half-expected Merle to push her back on the bed and plow into her. He didn’t do that. Instead, his hands and mouth had spent a good twenty minutes leisurely exploring her body before he had settled his head between her thighs and feasted on her like a man who’d been touched by the Horseman of Famine himself. He was talented, before long making Vada forget her own name and scream his.

Merle was a bit surprised when Vada returned the favor. He didn’t take his eyes off of her as his shaft kept disappearing into her mouth and throat. “Fuck, baby girl,” he groaned. “Ya look so fucking pretty with my cock in that sexy lil mouth of yers.” He abruptly stopped her, gently tugging on her hair to halt her actions.

Vada shot him a questioning glance as she got to her knees, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

Merle pulled her to straddle his lap. “Baby girl, I’s been waitin’ months to have ya.” He gently lifted her to hover over his rather thick member. He took himself in hand and guided himself to her slick entrance. “Only place I’s cummin’ this here first time is deep inside this pretty little pussy of yers.” Without further ado, he grabbed her hips and held them tightly as he buried himself inside of her. “Fuck,” he hissed. “Yer tight, pretty baby.”

“Merle,” Vada moaned and rocked her hips to give him a hint to move.

“That’s ma name, baby,” Merle smirked before slipping her onto her back. “Now how’s ‘bout ya scream it again?”

Oh, boy, did she scream it again…like three or four more times before they were finished.

“Damn, yer perfect, pretty baby,” Merle panted into her neck as he lay spooned up behind her. “I love ya, Vada.” He squeezed her waist lightly.

Vada cuddled back into him. “I love you too, Merle.”


	12. Epilogue

**TWO MONTHS LATER**

**CHRISTMAS EVE**

“Fuck. Shit. Damn it!” Five home pregnancy tests couldn’t be wrong. Vada was pregnant.

“That ain’t no way ta talk on Jesus’ birthday,” Merle joked as he entered into their shared bedroom bathroom suite. He sobered up real quick when he saw the tears pooling in her eyes. “Pretty baby, what’s wrong?”

Vada handed him the final positive pregnancy test that she had taken. She let the results speak for themselves.

Merle took a deep breath and licked his lips. “Come here, baby girl.” He took her hand and led her out of the bathroom and attached bedroom and from there into the living room. He took a seat on the couch and pulled her to sit on his lap. “Why’s ya upset ‘bout this?” He didn’t appear to be fazed in the least by their impending parenthood.

In the multi-colored glow of the Christmas tree lights, Vada looked at him like he was nuts. “Merle, we haven’t even been together a full year yet,” she pointed out. “We’ve never discussed us having kids. I don’t even know a damn thing about your childhood. All you’ve ever told me is that your dad was strict, and both of your parents are dead.”

Merle ran a hand over his face. “Ma momma was a lazy piece of shit that laid on her ass all day long watchin’ her stories and smokin’ Virginia Slims. Dumb bitch fell asleep smokin’ and burned ta death when I’s was nineteen. And ma daddy wasn’t strict. He was a mean son of bitch who beat the shot out of me and Daryl. Bastard was a drunk. Died of liver failure fifteen years ago.” He spoke quickly like he wanted to get everything out in the open and move on as soon as possible. “My childhood was shit, but that don’t mean a damn thing. I ain’t ma daddy, and ya ain’t my momma.” He shook his head. “And I don’t care how long it’s been. I love ya, Vada, and I’s know we’ll both love this kid more than ourselves. So, I’s gonna ask again. What’s the problem?”

Tears were now streaming down Vada’s face as she covered her mouth and shook her head. “There isn’t one,” she mumbled quietly.

Merle still heard her and smiled. “That’s what I’s thought. Now get that pretty mouth down here and give me some sugar, pretty baby.”

Vada happily complied with that request.

***

The next day, Merle presented her with an engagement ring that he’d already planned on giving her before he found out about the baby. Because of that, Vada easily said yes.

They married the following spring in Willow Tree’s old Baptist church. On July 4th, they welcome their first and only son, Memphis Josiah Dixon. His sister, Lottie Joan, followed three years later.

**_ FINIS _ **

**Author's Note:**

> The town of Willow Tree does not exist that I know of...at least in Georgia. I won't lie to you, I didn't check to see if the town exists in any other state or country. Also, I have not suddenly forgotten how to spell or use the English language properly. The way words are spelled when Merle is talking is the way he would pronounce them with his accent. Trust me, I grew up in Charlotte and I live in Memphis, southern accents I know...and I also have one...just nowhere near as bad as the Dixon brothers.


End file.
